All of those above characteristics can be used to describe me. Some of them are good, some of them not so much. As I grew up, I had several friends and family friends tell me who they thought I was.

We all know the scene. A certain person in a crowd catches another certain person’s eye. They glance at each other nervously, move around on the fringes, and finally come together to talk.

How often do you think about failure? How often do you fail? Hopefully, not much. Do you fear it, work with it, or embrace it? Wait. Embrace it? Why in the world would we ever want to embrace failure?

As this is something she was never taught, and I made the extra effort to learn, I want to share some insights for anyone else looking to create financial goals - specifically in the form of living off a budget. 

Small things like meal prepping give our minds the space to fill with other things. Why should we have to worry about what we’re eating for lunch when we have 10 million other things going on?

What is it about bird watching? The simple hobby has probably existed as far back as humanity itself. Birds are fascinating. They’ve inspired artists, poets, scientists, musicians, inventors, explorers, and all of us normal people, too!

Research is currently being conducted on what is referred to as “smartphone dependence” and one study reports that 60% of 2,097 American smartphone users cannot go one hour without checking their smartphones, a condition now called nomophobia (Hussain, et al., 2017).  

Sometimes things happen to us that we don’t even realize had such a big impact until we go to therapy years later and the counselor picks up on it.

But the truth is, my parents didn’t have some strategic plan for getting the family together each evening for a meal. We were all home anyway and didn’t have the money to eat out. There was no ulterior motive or hidden benefit they knew about.

Think about the last time you did something really dumb. I mean, really dumb. Why did you do it? When I was in fifth grade, I was obsessed with lighters.

Are you a windows down or a windows up kind of person? Music on or off? Do you chat with the other individuals in the car, or do you prefer to keep mostly to yourself with books and earbuds?

Have you ever had one of those nights when sleep actually sounds wonderful? But instead of falling back asleep, your brain has kicked into high gear and wants to race to solve every problem you can think of right that very minute. 

I didn't know it then, but we loved our bikes so much because of the freedom they gave us. The wind in your face, going as fast as you can, exploring new places--made us feel invincible. What kid doesn’t want freedom and to feel invincible?

We can’t let fear decide our goals and dreams. We can’t let fear control the decisions we make. Fear is designed to keep us alive in a fight or flight moment, not as a governing principle for a lifetime. 

Think about it though. The things that have been the biggest blessing, reaped the most benefits, or taught you the most have also been things that took a long time. That friend you’ve had for 3 years now?

Yet despite the incredible connectivity across the world, people feel more lonely and more isolated than ever. Rather than meet our neighbors across the street, we sit alone and meet neighbors around the globe. It’s easier to scroll through social media

We exist, but we don’t really LIVE. - We Work the same job. Microwave the same meal. Sit in the same chair. Click through the same channels. Stare at phones.

Do you find yourself constantly saying, “I’ll do it later?” If not to other people, how often do you say it to yourself?

Mindfulness is not something that is going to take up 30-60 minutes of your day (unless you want it to). Mindfulness looks like 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there, etc.

One young man was wheeled onto the stage in a wheelchair and assisted in a dance by others who moved him about the stage as part of the choreography. I left the event feeling light and refreshed. It reminded me that perfection is never a necessary ingredient when it comes to dance. Anyone can dance. They really can.